Michael Corcoran

Michael Corcoran (21 September 1827-22 December 1863) was a Union Army Brigadier-General during the American Civil War. He led the 69th New York Infantry Regiment into action at the First Battle of Bull Run, during which he was captured.

Biography
Michael Corcoran was born in Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland on 21 September 1827, the only child of a British Army officer. He joined the Revenue Police in 1846 at the age of 18, and he also joined the "Ribbonmen" guerrilla group. On 30 August 1849, he emigrated to New York City in the United States, and, in 1859, he became colonel of the 69th New York Infantry Regiment of the US Army; he also co-founded the Fenian Brotherhood, the American branch of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. On 11 October 1860, he was sentenced to be court-martialled for refusing to lead his regiment in a parade to honor the Prince of Wales' visit, as he was protesting against the British government's role in the Great Famine. However, the start of the American Civil War led to Corcoran leading his regiment to Washington DC and building Fort Corcoran, and he went on to lead his regiment at the First Battle of Bull Run. Corcoran was captured by the Confederates, and, during his imprisonment, he was threatened with execution if the Union executed captured Confederate privateers. He was exchanged in August 1862 and promoted to Brigadier-General of volunteers, and he was invited to dinner with President Abraham Lincoln, who had heard of his threatened execution. He raised an eight-regiment "Corcoran Legion" and led it in Virginia, and he died in a horse-riding accident on 22 December 1863 at the age of 36.